French peasant girl who claimed divine visions, convinced the Dauphin to give her command of French forces, led the relief of Orléans (turning the Hundred Years' War), saw the Dauphin crowned Charles VII, was captured by the English, tried for heresy, and burned at the stake at age 19.
Demonstrates that charismatic authority can override conventional hierarchy — Joan's ability to move from peasant girl to military commander in months, purely through conviction and perceived divine sanction, is the most extreme example of charismatic leadership in history.
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